Daley to testify in police torture lawsuit

Former Mayor Richard Daley has agreed to testify under oath about one of the most painful and criticized parts of his three decades in public service — the widespread police torture scandal that unfolded under disgraced former Cmdr. Jon Burge.

Daley provided testimony to a special prosecutor in 2006 who was appointed to investigate the allegations of torture by Burge and detectives who worked for him. But this time the former mayor will face attorneys who have filed a lawsuit on behalf of one of dozens of African-American suspects who contend they were the victims of ongoing, systemic torture and abuse by Chicago police.

Daley was sued by Michael Tillman, who alleged he was beaten, burned, smothered and threatened with death in 1986 by Chicago detectives working under Burge to coerce a confession to the rape and murder of a South Side woman in 1986. Tillman spent nearly 24 years in prison before his conviction was thrown out and the charges were dismissed in January 2010.

Tillman's lawsuit claims that Daley was aware of the torture of suspects while acting as Cook County state's attorney and that he aided in a cover-up while mayor.

In July, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer ruled that Daley could be sued on the conspiracy allegation by Tillman, paving the way for the former mayor's formal videotaped deposition. Tillman's attorneys have been pressing the city to set a date for the deposition since then.

At a court hearing Tuesday on Tillman's lawsuit, an attorney representing the city told Pallmeyer that Daley had agreed to the deposition.

Paul A. Michalik, the attorney, said the scope of the questions faced by Daley as well as the date of the deposition have yet to be determined.

Flint Taylor, an attorney for Tillman, welcomed the opportunity to question Daley.

"Assuming that Daley does in fact appear and answers all relevant questions, it is another significant accomplishment in the 25-year battle to obtain justice for the survivors of police torture and to hold accountable all those city and county officials, no matter how powerful," Taylor said in an email.

Taylor expressed concern that the city might seek to restrict details Daley can share. "We're troubled by the fact that they are trying to limit the questions," he said.

Burge is serving 4 1/2 years in federal prison for lying about the torture and abuse of criminal suspects.